D-Class cruiser ordered from Victors at Barrow under an Emergency War Programme
in March 1918 and laid down as Yard No 563
on 3rd June that year. Launched on 29th April 1919 as the 3rd RN ship to carry the name introduced in 1781
for a 4th Rate broken up in 1815. The ship was transferred after launch to HM
Dockyard at Portsmouth for completion as an economy measure but was not ready for
acceptance until 24th February 1922.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK
in March 1942 this cruiser was adopted by the London Borough of Lambeth

B a t t l e H o n o u r

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 1806

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green a
White horse rampant with hooves Gold.

M o t t o

FortibuaferocesFragenture: 'The fierce are broken by the brave’

S u m m a r yo fP r e
- WarS e r v i c e

1 9 2 2

February Contractors trials and
commissioned for trials

28th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

March On completion of trials commissioned for service
with 5th Light Cruiser Squadron on

the China Station

Took passage to Squadron.

April Joined Squadron at Hong Kong.

May Deployed with Squadron
on China Station.

(Note: Ships of
Squadron carried out trade protection and spent periods at Wei-HeiWei in

North China which was leased from China as a base with limited facilities.)

1 9 2 3

Squadron duties on China Station In continuation.

1 9 2 4

Squadron duties on China Station In continuation.

Offered to New
Zealand Government for service in the New Zealand Division and to

join sister ship HMS DUNEDIN which was to replace HM Cruiser CHATHAM in New

Zealand in May 1924 as Flagship of the Division
(February).

1 9 2 5

January Passage to UK and Paid-Off at Portsmouth.

to Refitted prior to
service in New Zealand Division.

August

September Carried out Post Refit Trials.

October

21st Re-commissioned at Portsmouth for service in New Zealand Division.

November Deployed in UK and prepared for foreign service.

December Took passage to New Zealand.

1 9 2 6

January

26th Joined New Zealand Division at Auckland.

February Deployed with Division in
Pacific for visits to Pacific islands and in New Zealand

to for exercises and
local visits.

December

1 9 2 7 t o 1 9 2 8

New Zealand Division deployment in continuation.

1 9 2 9

Passage to UK to Pay-Off and refit for further service
in New Zealand Division.

Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham.

1 9 3 0

January Under refit

to

August

September Carried out Post Refit Trials

October

16th Re-commissioned for service with New Zealand Division.

November Worked-up and prepared for foreign service.

December Passage to Auckland

1 9 3 0 t o 1 9 3 4

Deployed in Pacific and locally in New Zealand.

1 9 3 5

January New
Zealand Division deployment in continuation.

to Nominated for
detached service with East Indies Squadron.

August (Note: This deployment was
made after the Italian invasion of Abyssinia.)

September Passage
to Indian
Ocean.

October Deployed at Aden for blockade duties and protection of trade in Red Sea and
the

to Indian Ocean.

December

1 9 3 6

January Aden deployment in continuation.

February Nominated for return to UK to Pay-Off and reduce to Reserve status.

March Passage
to Chatham.

31st Paid-Off.

(Note: Ship's
Company transferred to HM Cruiser ACHILLES.)

April Reduced to Reserve status
at Chatham

to On completion Joined
Chatham Reserve Fleet.

December

1 9
3 7

January Deployed in Reserve Fleet at Chatham.

to Nominated for
training of Reservists.

June

July

29th Re-commissioned with reduced complement for training duties

August Deployed at Chatham

to

December

1 9 3 8

January Training deployment at Chatham
in continuation.

to Nominated
for transfer to Devonport for training duties

June Passage
to Plymouth.

July Deployed
at Devonport for training duties in Reserve Fleet

toNominated for deployment at Portsmouth as tender to Signal School after refit.

December (Note: To be fitted with new design aircraft warning
radar equipment Type 79Z for

development trials.)

1 9 3 9

January Passage to Portsmouth and taken in hand for refit.

to

February

March Under refit

to Deployment as Signal
School Tender cancelled.

June (Note: Development
model, Radar Type 79Z was fitted in HM Cruiser CURLEW for

trials and became the third RN shipto be fitted with RDF equipment for

operational use.)

July Brought up to
complement with Reservists for the Review of Reserve Fleet by HM King

George VI in Weymouth Bay.

August Passage
to Portland and attended Review.

. 9th Attended Royal Review in Weymouth Bay.

Took passage to Scapa Flow to
Join 7th Cruiser Squadron for war service after

(Note: These
were ratings selected for promotion before sea service and who had the

necessary educational qualification for commissioned rank in
the RNVR)

1 9 4 4

January Training duties at Rosyth in
continuation.

to

July

August Under
refit at Rosyth.

to Torpedo tubes moved.

September

October Resumed training duties.

to

December

1 9 4 5

January Training duties in
continuation.

to

August

P o s
t W a r N o t e s

HMS DIOMEDE reduced to Reserve status at Devonport in October 1945 and laid up at
Falmouth in unmaintained
Reserve until sold to BISCO on 5th April 1946 for breaking up by Arnott Young at Dalmuir.
Whilst on passage to the breaker's yard she
grounded during tow off Penzance but was refloated.
The ship arrived
on 13th May 1946 and broken-up later that year. In 1969 this name was again
used for a LEANDER-Class
General Purpose Frigate, launched by Yarrow Shipbuilders on 15th April 1969.